


Dwarven Vow #14

by bibliophileemily



Category: Tales of Series, Tales of Symphonia
Genre: Father-Son Relationship, Gen, Gift Fic, Tales of Secret Santa 2019
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-31
Updated: 2019-12-31
Packaged: 2021-02-27 04:01:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,253
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22040758
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bibliophileemily/pseuds/bibliophileemily
Summary: "Even a small star shines in the darkness."Lloyd works on an important project; the Dwarven Vows and Dirk's teaching guide him along the way.
Relationships: Dirk & Lloyd Irving
Comments: 7
Kudos: 8





	Dwarven Vow #14

**Author's Note:**

  * For [RobotArmsApts (MatsuoMiwa)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MatsuoMiwa/gifts).



Lloyd crept downstairs and checked the fire. It was still burning hot, just like he needed it. He had his tools and materials ready: wood, wax, metal, a short length of thread.

Moonlight streamed through the window, but he lit lamps anyway. This was an important project, and he needed optimal vision. Unlike Dirk, he couldn’t work in low-light conditions.

The first time Dirk taught him to make something, Lloyd tried his best, but it had turned out misshapen and lumpy.

“Dwarven Vow #16,” Dirk had said before they began. “You can do anything if you try.”

Lloyd looked down at his failed bracelet and shook his head.

“Are you sure about that, Dad?” He turned his project over, and a chunk of it fell off. “I don’t think I’m cut out for craftsmanship. I’m not a dwarf.”

“No, you’re not,” Dirk mused. “But you are my son. What’s Dwarven Vow #9?”

Lloyd scrunched up his face as he thought. “Um…” He rubbed at his eyes, leaving smears of soot around them. “‘Stand up seven times, fall down…’ no, that’s not right.”

“Fall down seven times, stand up eight.” Dirk looked at his son. At the age of nine, Lloyd was already the same height as he was. Dirk never set out to be a father, certainly not a father to a human. He failed many times, but he always tried again.

“You can do anything if you try,” he reasserted, more to himself than to Lloyd. “Let me light a few lamps, and we’ll try again.”

“OK, Dad!”

* * *

Lloyd was excited. He’d been planning this project for months now. He wanted to jump ahead and get to the part he was most looking forward to, but he forced himself to slow down and go from the beginning.

He carved wood into a cylindrical shape and sanded it carefully, periodically checking the diameter with the thread. It had to be exact, and he wasn’t cutting any corners.

When Lloyd was twelve, Dirk trusted him to make a protection symbol that a guard had commissioned.

“Dwarven Vow #24,” Dirk said, sitting Lloyd down and handing him a block of wood. “Never let your feet run faster than your shoes. Take your time, and do it right.”

Lloyd did his best to follow the steps in the order Dirk always did them, but he could see shortcuts and couldn’t resist taking them.

“If I just do this part a little faster,” he thought. “And I don’t _have_ to sand it in between each step, do I?”

When Dirk came back to check on him, Lloyd’s project was a sloppy mess.

“Lloyd! Did you follow the directions I gave you?”

Lloyd only gave a sheepish look as his answer.

“Tell me the truth, son. Dwarven Vow #11: lying—”

“—Is the first step down the path of thievery. I know, I know.” Lloyd sighed. “I tried to skip a few steps, but it didn’t work out so good.”

“Well, there’s still time to do it right.” Dirk held out another block of wood. “Fall down seven times.”

“Stand up eight.” Lloyd took the wood. “I’ll get it right this time.”

* * *

At last, Lloyd had the wooden cylinder's diameter matching the length of the piece of thread. He took a block of hardened wax and began carving again. He had a simple design in mind, nothing too flashy or complicated, but he took his time. Every detail had to be perfect.

He fought back a yawn and chuckled to himself.

“Dwarven Vow #41: It’s better to begin in the evening than not at all. Dad did always tell me that one a lot.”

Lloyd never meant to procrastinate; he just forgot or got caught up with something else.

At fifteen, Dirk entrusted him with much more responsibility, citing Dwarven Vow #4.

“Don’t depend on others. Walk on your own two legs,” Dirk grumbled.

“But Dad, I’ve got to get this project done by tomorrow!" Lloyd pleaded. "I could really use your help!”

“Did you not hear me? You've got to take responsibility for yourself.” Dirk sighed. “Lloyd… just do your best. Professor Raine will forgive you if you tell her the truth.” He clapped his son on the shoulder and headed down the stairs to his underground room.

Lloyd sighed. He really needed the extra credit, so he’d promised the professor he’d make her a new bell for the classroom, but he’d never actually made one before.

“Let’s see… Dad would say ‘Dwarven Vow #43: Never forget the basics.’” Lloyd managed a decent impression of Dirk’s gruff dwarven speech. “If I take my time, and do things right, I should be able to make a good bell by morning.” He pushed up his sleeves. “I’ll do my best!”

* * *

Lloyd finished carving the wax template and started mixing the material for the cast. He stirred and tapped the container and waited. Casting an object out of metal was complicated, and he had to take his time.

After the wax was placed in the mold, he set it on a shelf to dry and contemplated the metals he had gathered. He disqualified the iron and copper—not shiny enough. He looked at the silver for a long time, but it wasn’t quite right. Gold, though… gold was perfect.

He set the gold to melt in a crucible so that it would be molten liquid by the time the mold finished drying. The gold was pure, something he’d bought from a specialty shop instead of mining from a dungeon. He had to have the best materials for a project like this.

By the time the mold was dry, dawn was just beginning to break. Lloyd heated it in the fire so that the wax ran out, then poured the gold into the mold. He set it on the hearth and waited again. He didn’t have much longer to wait; he was close to the end.

He was about ready to break open the mold when he heard heavy footsteps coming up from the basement.

“Lloyd? That you?” Dirk squinted in the early morning sunlight. “What are you doing up so early?”

“Dad! You’re just in time to see!” Lloyd waved him over before breaking the mold and plucking out the newly-cast ring.

“Very nice,” Dirk said. “Nice and simple, nothing too fancy.”

“Dwarven Vow #5, right? The more you add, the worse it gets.” Lloyd winked.

“That’s right. I like it. But it’s not quite finished yet, is it?”

“How’d you know?”

“Just a feeling.”

Lloyd smiled and unwrapped a piece of cloth to reveal something sparkling. “It’s a chip from the diamond we got when Sheena made a pact with Origin. It’s not very big, but I think it looks better this way.”

Dirk nodded. “I agree. You’ve done well, son.”

“Thanks, Dad.” He used his tools to pry open the prongs and set the diamond chip in its place. “Now it’s ready.” His eyes shone as he looked at the finished engagement ring.

Dirk's eyes were suspiciously misty when he looked at Lloyd. Where had time gone? It seemed that Lloyd had been a small boy just a few days ago; now he was a grown man preparing to start his own family.

“When are you giving it to her?” Dirk asked.

“Well, today’s her birthday,” Lloyd said. "What better day to ask Colette to marry me?" He looked down at the ring one more time. "You think she'll say yes?"

"Son, I can't imagine her saying anything else."

**Author's Note:**

> Gift fic for robotsarmsapt, who requested "Lloyd taking his first steps to learning craftsmen work from Dirk" and "getting married - Lloyd/Colette." I kind of smashed these two prompts together and came up with this. First time writing a Symphonia fic; it was a lot of fun, and I like how it came together. 
> 
> I picked Dwarven Vow #14 for the title of this fic because it represents the tiny diamond in the ring and also how Dirk, Lloyd, and Colette's kindness and love for each other helps save the world, even though they're each just one person.


End file.
